TRIFED, IIT-Delhi collaborate to commercialise production of Mahua flower-based beverage

TRIFED, as the nodal agency working for the empowerment of tribals, has been focusing its efforts on finding new ways to improve the lives and the livelihoods of the tribal people.

Accordingly, TRIFED, FITT and Rusicaa Beverages have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to work together to enhance the income of tribals of Jharkhand through commercial production and sale of Mahua nutra beverage, a value added product made out of Mahua flowers, in the state. 

TRIFED in association with FITT has developed this value added product Mahua nutra beverage made out of Mahua flower so that the tribals can benefit maximum from the value addition of MFPs and development of technologies. FITT acts as the interface to foster, promote and sustain commercialisation of this technology and now the technology is being licensed to Rusicaa Beverages Private Ltd of Jharkhand for commercialisation of this Mahua Nutra beverage in Jharkhand. 

As a part of this project, Rusicaa Beverages Private Ltd will procure Mahua flowers for production of Mahua Nutra beverage from tribal forest gatherers of Jharkhand engaged in collection of Mahua flower and it’s processing in VDVK Clusters at a price not below the prescribed minimum support price (MSP).

This is the first of its kind initiative in the state and the country by TRIFED. This opens up opportunities for partner entrepreneurs in other states looking for starting up nutra beverage unit as well for benefit of tribal communities across the country. The Mahua Nutra beverage in its improvised form is blended with Pomegranate fruit juice, which enhances the nutritional value and masks the flavour of Mahua beverage by improving its aroma and texture.

Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer is a unit established by Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IITD) as an Industry interface body to foster, promote and sustain commercialisation of research results in the institute. FITT has been authorised by IITD for exploring commercialisation and societal outreach.

As part of its various initiatives, especially the TRIFOOD project and the Van Dhan start-ups scheme, TRIFED has been focusing on enhancing the income of tribals through better utilisation  and value addition to the MFPs collected by the tribal forest gatherers. TRIFED also outsources R&D projects to scientific organisations /universities, etc to develop value added products, process technologies, so that the tribals benefit maximum from the value addition of MFPs and development of technologies. 

Among its flagship programmes and implementations, The ‘Mechanism for Marketing of Minor Forest Produce (MFP) through Minimum Support Price (MSP) and Development of Value Chain for MFP’ Scheme, in particular, has already emerged as a beacon of change and has positively impacted the tribal ecosystem as never before. Implemented by TRIFED in association with state government agencies across 21 states of the country, the scheme has injected crores of rupees directly in the tribal economy since April 2020. Aided by the central government push in May 2020 wherein the prices of Minor Forest Produce (MFPs) were increased by up to 90 per cent and 23 new items were included in the MFP list, this flagship scheme of the ministry of tribal affairs, which draws its strength from The Forest Rights Act of 2005, aims to provide remunerative and fair prices to tribal gatherers of forest produces.

The Van Dhan Vikas Yojana, also a component of the scheme, further complements MSP  and has emerged as a source of employment generation for tribal gatherers and forest dwellers and the home-bound tribal artisans. The crux of the programme is that it ensures that the proceeds from the sales of these value-added products go to the tribals directly.

TRIFED is currently exploring convergences with organisations, government and non-government and academic entities, to continue its mission towards tribal empowerment. The aim is to pool strengths and undertake work that will help in boosting the income and livelihoods of the tribal people.

With the successful implementation of this collaboration, this unique, nutritional product will reach households across the country and become a common name and thus contribute to the transformation of tribal lives and livelihoods.